Electric-vehicle wheel.



J. MCL. KINGSBURY.

ELECTRICVHICLE WHEEL.

APPLlcATloN min APR.12.1915.

Patented Jun@ 25, 1918.

. MCL. KINGSBURY.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLxcATloN FILED APR. l2, w15.

Patented J une 25, 1918 g C w m w, k

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. is supported upon short sp UNITED ST MISES PAENT OFFICE.

.THN MCLEAN KINGS-RUBY, OF GREAT FALLE, NETANA, ASSIG'NGR- T0 HINGSBURY ees-ELECTRIC Meren con? enteren or MONTANA.

FALLS, MONTANA,

.ppiication flied April if?, Serai No. 28,8529.

y coinpenying drawings, forming part et this specification.

My invention relates to eleetric-vebieie Wheels end, more particularly, to driving Wheel bearing its own motor-element.

Tile present invention is an improvement upon the structure shown in my application No. 13,041, filed March 8th, 1915, and aims to provide e structure in which economy ot' space and material is effected.

The invention also provides improved means for supporting the rim spaced from tbe motor element, and means for giving ready eccess to the air-valve. Novel .means for driving the `Co1n1nutator as a separate unit is also provided. Various other tea turcs of improvement Wiii be apparent from tbe following specification.

n the accompanying drawings l Ibeve illustrated one embodiment in which my invention may Figure is :i verticei eress seetion one forni oi? my veliicie Wheel;

F is a front eievetion with parte broken away.

Fig. 3 is e. fragmentary eievntion showing;

the interlocking' verts of tbe clamnin l rinesI L] l e 22 for preventing the laminations from slipping out between: these rings.

The Wheel is provided with the usuel.'

pneumatic `tire having e shpe i and inner inietable tube 2, having tbe usual velvfestem 3, Winch in this case siertened and provided with an L t and' en 'ension leading nii' :it right 1^ tf of the stem, providing rem t valve itself, even when pinnen. ed' meter-dement, to be described im The tire 1 is mounted on are cast or formed integral Wi ing armature freine-pieces 8, ciose the laminations 11, formi; netic circuit of the armature as Will be described later.

The armature frame-pieces anni provided iv'it terieclting ngers 6'?, either pointed or ne e, shown in Fig. 3, so that the seine will sn Iiport ell of inminetions il, eiloiving the lzininntiens te be coin pressed by the rivets 'which 'festen tbe armate e freinepieces .oe'etber.

lngers 6? prevent zinj/ o. tbe lamine- 'tiens 1i from getting ont eiineinent, but the seine time then;Y L,erniit tbe rines 9 and i0 to be drawn to-`Yv 4 eeen otnei* to chimp the leniinetions tiriniy. The rim 5 is heid upon the spokes 7 by ineens or the 'vedig'es 13, 'which imnped by means of 'die bolts 14. The Lninimitions il are termed in the shape of e ringr having a, square cross section, tbe inner. periphery ot this ring being notched or grooved to receive the armature Winding 15, which is distributed nniformiy there upon. The central part of the Wheel structure is formed or' tlie outer disk Casting 16 and tlie inner disk casting i7. These-cestingsezire provided with ienges 18 and 19, respectively, which lie tiet upon the eees of tbe armature .truneqoieees 9 and l0, are bolted thereto by bolts l2 to forni rigid structure.

The outer disk 1G is provided with :i heb' portion 20, in which is mounted a roller race 2i, termini; tbe stationery part of a relier-bearing between tbe hub and 'the stau tionery bearing-shaft 2:). The inner disk is provided with e breke- .drunx'23, which is encircied by the brekebund 24, having suitable lining or facing 25', Between tbe inner and outer disks ere plziced the field-poles 5, having suitable windings z'tliereupon, these polesI being supported upon, or formed integrali with,

Athe hub casting 2'?, which, on account of its felt ring 32, which is mounted between two spring rings excludes dust and dirt from the outside.

The field-drum or casting 27 is provided with en inwzu'dlybudging central portion 34, which has formed thereupon the bearing shaft or axle 22. The axle 22 supports at its outer end a roller-race 35, which, in conneetion with the race 21, forms a front bearing between the stationary and the movable parts. The drum 27 is secured to ythe frontaxle 36, which has its end forked'or bifurcated, the prongs or bifurcations of the fork being just far enough apart to pass within the hub casting 27, to which they are secured by the bearing-pins 37 and 38, respectively. The bearing-pins 37 and 38 are removably secured to the hub-casting 27, as by means of pins 39 and 40, held in place by spring-clips 41. The forks of the hub 3G are provided with suitable bushings 42 and 43, to provide bearing surfaces coperating with the pins 37 and 3S, respectively.

Inasmuch as the weight of the vehicle is supported upon the lower forks, bearing-y plates 44 and 45 are provided to reduce the friction and wear between these parts. A commutator 46, which is connected with the armature windings 15, is disposed in the hollow 34 of the hub-casting 27. The commutator segments are mounted in the usual manner, between a flange 48 mounted upon the central supporting-cylinder 49 and the gripping flange or ring 50, which is screwed into place and secured by a locking ring, to prevent the same from coming loose.

rll`hc central drum 49, which supports the. commutator segments, is mounted for rotation on the axle 22 by means of the antifriction bearingsl. The commutator-bars are connected mechanically and electrically to the field windings by means of the bar conductors .52. These bar conductors 52 are spaced apart by means of the insulating ring 53, which is bolted upon the outer disk 16. The insulating ring 53 also serves as a driving means for the commutator through the bars 52, which are connected to the commutator-bars, so that the coinmutator rotates in unison with the armature itself.

The brushes 54 are mounted in suitable brush-holders, secured upon an adjustable ring 55, mounted on a stationary ring 56,

-which is keyed upon the axle 22. rll`he connection between the armature and the field is a series connection; that is, the motor itself is a series motor and the leads 57 and 58 to the field winding 26 are connected in series with the armature, alternate brushes being connected together by means of the copper bars 59, the axle 22 being provided with a passageway for receiving the conductors 57 and 58. The hub 20 of the outer disk is protected by a felt ring 60 and by an outer cap 61, which prevents dust from entering'the rollerlbearings 21-35. The hub is also provided with an oil-hole closed by the screw-plug 62.

The hub-casting 27 is provided with a lug 64, to which is fastened a steering connection 63, which may be of any preferred t ne.

yilhe valve 5, which is provided with the elbow 4, may be turned atA right angles to the position shown in Fig. 1, so that the same lies substantially in the median plane of the wheel. `When in this position it may be retained by means of the spring clip 65.

It will be' noted that the pins 37 and 38 are disposed in the median plane of the wheel and in axial alinement with each other. This arrangement allows of turning the vehicle on a very short radius, and reduces the effort of steering to a minimum.

The brake-band 24 may be tightened in any convenient manner, as by a shaft containing a fiexible portion, or universal connection, the brake-band being held in a relatively-stationary position by means of the bracket 66, which is secured lto the field casting 27.

A vehicle may be equipped with front and rear wheels of' this type', or with front or rear wheels only of this type, the other wheels being plain.

l do not intend to be limited to the precise construction shown and described, as numerous changes and modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, all of which I consider to come within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States .is the following:

l. In combination, an axle, a rotatable ring mounted thereupon, said ring comprising a series of' yannular laminations, annular frame rings for clamping said laminations together, said frame rings having olf-set interlocking lingers lying at the same radial distance from the center of the ring, and means connecting said frame rings with said axle.

2. In combination, an axle, an armature surrounding said axle, .said armature comprising a plurality of annular laminations, interlocking rings for said laminations,said clamping rings having square interlocking fingers lying at the same radial distance from the center and being so organized as to permit compression of the laminations and to prevent relative angular displacement of the ringswith respect to each other central annular disks secured to each o said clamping rings and bearing means for each of said disks.

3. In combination, a Wheel rim,A a motor armature connected to said rim, a vehicle axle, a motor ield member connected to said axle, said field and said armature being 125 concentric witheach other, a commutatorv lying within said field and being concentric therewith, said armature, field and commutator lying substantially in the" saine 4 plane, and-leads connecting the armature 130 .nected to said axle,

and commutator, said leads forming the sole driving connection between armature and commntator.

V4. In combination, a vehicle rim, a motor armature-member connected to said rim, a

vehicle axle, a motor field-member connected to said axle, the connection between said -axle and said` field-member forming a,

l periphery of said stationary element, and

A tion.

a commutator' disposed in said depressed portion, a' central axle passing through said commutator and having bearings coperating therewith, said vehicle axle being bifurcated, and embracing said depressed porvehicle-wheel rim, a secured thereto, a

for said stationary motor-element, a vehicle axle pivotally secured to said frame, a stub axle rigidly secured to said frame, a commutator rotatably mounted on said stub axle, a mechanical connection between said movable motor-element and said commutator, said connection ducting-bars each said commutator.

In combination, a vehicle-wheel rim, a

comprising radial c0nsecured to a segment ot motor armature secured to said rim, a Vehicle axle, a motor field frame pivotally connected with said vehicle axle, said frame lying within said motor armature, a stub axle connected to said frame, 'a disk having bearings upon said stub axle, said disk being secured to said motor armature, a commutator rotatably mounted upon said stub axle, and havin its segments connected to the windings cfg said armature, and means for driving said commutator, said means comprising the electrical connections between said segments and said armature windings.

9. In combination, a wheel rim, a motor armature concentric with said rim and secured thereto, a central axle, a eommutator on said axle, a disk connected to said motor armature and having bearings on said axle, radial connections between said armature and said commutator, and a ring of insulation, said ring connecting said-disk with said armature connections,

10. In combination, a vehicle wheel rim,

'a motor armature concentric with and secured to said rim, a vehicle axle, a field frame pivotally connected to said vehicle axle, said frame having a central depressed portion, a stub axle connected to said portion, a commutator rotatably mounted on said stub axle, an outer disk secured to said motor armature and having bearings upon said stub axle, an inner disk having bearings upon said field frame, and means for preventing the entry of dust to said bearings and to said commutator.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 6th day of April, A. D. 1915.

J. MCLEAN KIN GSBURY. Witnesses:

GORDON O. SHATER, EDMUND LINCOLN. 

